Healthcare Insights
Top 20 medical schools attended by California doctors
Medical students go through rigorous training to become physicians. The clinical and non-clinical coursework involved in medical school programs helps students learn how to provide optimal patient care.
Below, we rank the top 20 most common medical schools attended by doctors practicing in California.
| Rank | Medical school | Count of NPI | Percent | Explore dataset |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine | 2,399 | 4.20% | Explore |
| 2 | University of California, Geffen School of Medicine | 2,184 | 3.80% | Explore |
| 3 | Loma Linda University School of Medicine | 2,118 | 3.70% | Explore |
| 4 | University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine | 2,011 | 3.50% | Explore |
| 5 | University of California, San Diego School of Medicine | 1,735 | 3.00% | Explore |
| 6 | University of California, Davis School of Medicine | 1,625 | 2.80% | Explore |
| 7 | University of California, Irvine, California College of Medicine | 1,558 | 2.70% | Explore |
| 8 | Stanford University School of Medicine | 1,095 | 1.90% | Explore |
| 9 | Southern California College of Optometry | 1,051 | 1.80% | Explore |
| 10 | New York Medical College | 885 | 1.60% | Explore |
| 11 | Los Angeles College of Chiropractic | 761 | 1.30% | Explore |
| 12 | Harvard Medical School | 758 | 1.30% | Explore |
| 13 | George Washington University School of Medicine | 723 | 1.30% | Explore |
| 14 | Palmer College Chiropractic - West Sunnyvale | 683 | 1.20% | Explore |
| 15 | University of California, UCLA School Of Medicine | 682 | 1.20% | Explore |
| 16 | University of California - School of Optometry | 673 | 1.20% | Explore |
| 17 | Tufts University School of Medicine | 656 | 1.10% | Explore |
| 18 | University of Michigan Medical School | 647 | 1.10% | Explore |
| 19 | Boston University School of Medicine | 626 | 1.10% | Explore |
| 20 | California School of Podiatric Medicine | 620 | 1.10% | Explore |
Fig. 1 Data is from Definitive Healthcare’s PhysicianView product. Data accessed November 2022.
Which medical school is most common among physicians in CA?
University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine is the top medical school on our list, with 2,399 providers listed as alumni and 4.2% of the total share of medical schools for California physicians.
Next is the University of California, Geffen School of Medicine, with 2,184 providers and 3.8% of the total share. Close behind is Loma Linda University School of Medicine, with 2,118 providers and 3.7% of the total.
Not surprisingly, more than half of the medical schools on the list are based in California.
What is medical school?
Medical school provides the formal training students require to become practicing medical doctors (MDs). It typically takes four years to complete medical school.
Upon the completion of studies, doctors will go on to medical residency, which is the clinical training among or within medical specialties, like primary care or cardiology. The length of residency depends on the specialty that the doctor chooses. For example, family practice is around two years, and surgery is typically at least five years.
How many medical schools are in California?
California is home to 16 total medical schools: 13 medical doctor (MD) schools, and three doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO) schools.
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